This invention generally relates to electrosurgery, and more specifically, to a new and improved electrical connector device and method for foot-switched monopolar electrosurgical handpieces and instruments which is capable of accepting multiple different types of electrical connector plugs, thereby avoiding the necessity to use adapters to connect the different types of handpieces and instruments to the electrosurgical generator.
Electrosurgery involves applying relatively high voltage, radio frequency (RF) electrical power to tissue of a patient undergoing surgery, for the purpose of cutting the tissue, coagulating or stopping blood or fluid flow from the tissue, or cutting or coagulating the tissue simultaneously. The high voltage, RF electrical power is created by an electrosurgical generator, and the electrical power from the generator is applied to the tissue from an instrument or handpiece manipulated by a surgeon during the surgical procedure.
In monopolar electrosurgery, the handpiece includes a single active electrode. The active electrode is applied to the tissue, and the electrical energy travels from the electrosurgical generator, through a conductor to the handpiece, from the active electrode of the handpiece into the tissue of the patient, where the cutting, coagulating or simultaneous cutting and coagulating effect is achieved at the interface of the active electrode with the tissue. The electrical current is distributed into the patient, collected from the patient by a return electrode connected to the patient at a location remote from the surgical site, and is returned to the electrosurgical generator by an electrical conductor connected to the return electrode.
The surgeon controls the delivery of power to the handpiece by depressing a finger switch on the handpiece, or by stepping on a foot switch which is associated with the particular handpiece. Depressing a finger switch or stepping on a foot switch delivers an activation signal to the electrosurgical generator. The electrosurgical generator responds to the activation signal by delivering the high voltage RF electrosurgical energy to an active electrode of the handpiece with which the activation signal is associated.
The type of monopolar handpiece which has a finger switch includes a multiple-prong electrical connector which is connected to an electrical receptacle in the front panel of the electrosurgical generator. Most, if not all, of the finger-switched monopolar handpieces use the same type of multiple-prong electrical connector. Consequently, any finger-switched monopolar handpiece can be used with any type of electrosurgical generator, because of the standardized use of the same type of multiple-prong electrical connection for finger-switched monopolar handpieces.
On the other hand, there is no standardized electrical connection for monopolar handpieces which require a foot switch for activation. All foot-switched monopolar handpieces use an electrical connector plug with a single prong which fits within a prong-receiving connection receptacle located on the front panel of the electrosurgical generator. However, there are at least three different types and sizes of single-prong electrical connector plugs used for foot-switched monopolar handpieces. The three most prevalently used single-prong electrical connector plugs for foot-switched monopolar handpieces are a 4-millimeter banana pin connector, a rolled sheet metal 0.125 AMP connector, or an electrosurgical Bovie #12 connector. Most electrosurgical generators provide only a single prong-receiving receptacle on the front panel of the generator. Consequently, only one of the foot-switched monopolar handpieces will directly connect to the electrosurgical generator.
Adapters are used to connect the other types of foot-switched monopolar handpieces to electrosurgical generators. The usual adapter includes a prong which is of the configuration to be received by the single-prong connection receptacle in the front panel of the electrosurgical generator. The adapter also includes a socket which is of the configuration which can accept the type of single-prong electrical connector attached to the foot-switched monopolar handpiece or instrument which the surgeon desires to use. The adapter is connected to the electrosurgical generator, and the desired foot-switched monopolar handpiece is connected to the adapter, thereby connecting the preferred handpiece to the electrosurgical generator.
While such adapters have worked satisfactorily, certain difficulties in using them have arisen. It is necessary not to misplace the adapters. Keeping track of the adapters requires accounting for additional pieces of equipment in the operating room, which increases the complexity of the already-complicated tasks required to set up all of the equipment for a typical surgical procedure. It is relatively easy to misplace an adapter, because the adapter is not permanently connected to the electrosurgical generator. Inexperienced operating room personnel or cleaning personal may unknowingly or accidentally discard an adapter along with a disposable foot-switched monopolar handpiece after completion of the procedure. Most foot-switched monopolar handpieces in use today are of the disposable variety, so the possibility of disposing of an adapter along with the used handpiece is always present. Other disadvantages associated with using adapters are also recognized.
The invention involves a single electrical multi-plug connector device which has the capability of directly accepting and mechanically and electrically connecting to the three prevalent and different types of single-prong electrical connection plugs used to connect foot-switched monopolar electrosurgical handpieces to the electrosurgical generator. As a consequence of the present invention, it is no longer necessary to use adapters to connect the different types of foot-switched monopolar electrosurgical handpieces to the electrosurgical generator, and it is no longer necessary for the surgical operating room personnel to keep track of different types of adapters.
In general terms, the invention involves a multi-plug connector and a method for mechanically and electrically connecting each one of a banana pin connector plug, a rolled sheet metal connector plug and a Bovie connector plug to an electrosurgical generator. A passageway is defined through which the connection plugs are inserted for connection and withdrawn for disconnection. A socket connector is moved into and out of alignment with the passageway. The socket connector defines a socket into which the banana pin connector plug is inserted when the socket connector is moved into the passageway. A contact arm also moves into and out of alignment with the passageway. The contact arm moves into contact with the rolled sheet metal connector plug and the Bovie connector plug. Preferably, the socket is moved out of the passageway so that the rolled sheet metal connector plug can be inserted into the passageway. The movement of the socket and the contact arm are preferably interrelated so that the socket is moved into the passageway when the contact arm is out of the passageway, and vice versa. The socket and the contact arm are electrically connected to the electrosurgical generator.